Tabla Notation in New Music Contexts

As a musician with a background in both Western classical and Indian classical music, I have long been working to bring the two together by commissioning new works for tabla from composers of new music (for a selected list of repertoire, click here). Over the past 15+ years, these collaborations have led to the development of a new notation system for tabla. Initially devised by the American composer Payton MacDonald, this system has been refined and expanded, and has come to be affectionately known as the MacDonald/Mativetsky tabla notation system.

The system is very simple and straightforward. It can be easily read by tabla players with varied backgrounds and it removes questions of interpretation that might be caused by differences in technique or interpretation due to having learned in a different tradition (such as in different gharanas). To accommodate players who might not read Western notation, tabla bols can easily be added underneath. This notation has a significant advantage over notation on a single line, as it allows conductors and other musicians, who may not necessarily understand the complexity of the tabla language, to be able to read the score and have some idea of the contour and texture of the tabla part. For composers, the system is highly intuitive and is very similar to notation for multiple percussion or drumset.

Dahina/Dayan: Closed tone, produced by striking in the centre of the syahi. Depending on tradition, can be produced by the middle+ring, middle, ring, index fingers.

3rd space (x notehead)

Te / Re / Ti

Dahina/Dayan: Closed tone, produced by striking with the palm on the syahi, as in the stroke DhereDhere / DhiReDhiRe.

1st space (round notehead)

Ke / Ka / Ki

Baya: Closed tone, produced by striking with the full hand.

1st space (x notehead)

Snap

Baya: Sharp closed tone, produced by snapping the edge of the skin with the index or middle fingers while applying pressure to the skin with the wrist.

Below the staff

Ge / Ghe / Ga / Gha / Gi / Ghi

Baya: open, resonant tone, produced by striking with the full hand, middle, ring, middle+ring, index fingers. (Relative pitch can be indicated by graphical notation below the score, or glissandi can be indicated with arrows following noteheads.)

I would strongly encourage any composers interested in writing for tabla to adopt this system. Numerous pieces have already been composed with it, and these pieces are most definitely the easiest to read, as the notation is so clear and compact. Why create a new system, when there is already a successful one in place? If you are planning to write for tabla, please do consider adopting this system.